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Where it went wrong: Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 1 exits
San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton's future with the team is uncertain.  Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Where it went wrong: Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 1 exits

The first round of this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs has made one thing incredibly clear: What happened in the regular season didn’t mean jack. And if you based your playoff predictions on what occurred over the course of those 82 games, you are likely sitting some where alone, stone-faced and confused, wondering where it all went wrong.

Typically when the playoffs advance to Round 2, the focus shifts to the teams that are still playing. But with how bizarre the conference quarterfinals ended, it’s hard to turn the page without diving deeper into what went wrong for the eight departed teams and what this means moving forward.

San Jose Sharks

The defending Western Conference champions had the odds stacked against them headed into Round 1, after a dismal end to the regular season and key injuries to a couple of their top players. Team Teal put up one heck of a fight though, making the Edmonton Oilers work to snag the series victory in six tilts.

Where it went wrong: Following the Game 6 loss in San Jose, coach Peter DeBoer and his players lamented over where the closely contested series got away from them. While the two shutouts at the hands of Cam Talbot were painful to watch, Joe Pavelski pointed to losing the lead in Game 5 as where they lost control over the series. What the team wouldn’t point to was fatigue built up from the previous offseason being short. “Those are excuses,” Logan Couture said, “and excuses are for losers. So…”

What comes next: Getting healthy is going to be a key for this team with the offseason starting a little sooner this time around. There could also be some changes to the makeup of the dressing room, with the expansion draft on the horizon and the future of staple players Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau now up in the air.

Montreal Canadiens


Montreal Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty responds to questions from reporters in Brossard, Quebec, Monday, April 24, 2017.  Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP

The matchup between the Canadiens and the New York Rangers was expected to be a good one, and the six-game nail-biter did not disappoint. Carey Price and company were confident they would be coming out on the winning end of that equation – the opposite ended up being true.

Where it went wrong: If you caught any of the heart-breaking commentary from captain Max Pacioretty, you would have heard him mention "missed opportunities." Indeed, Montreal didn't take advantage of the fact that Rangers netminder Henrik Lundqvist has iffy playing history at Bell Centre, and couldn't find the back of the net as often as they could have. And of the 11 goals they did muster up in 11 games, their big players – including Pacioretty – were held off of it.

What comes next: It looks like it is going to be another long summer for the Canadiens, and it could also be an active one. There are six players that are due to be unrestricted free agents – with Price being one of them – in addition to there being some movement due to the expansion draft.

Toronto Maple Leafs


Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs consoles goalie Frederik Andersen after the Washington Capitals defeated the Leafs during overtime in Game Six to win their Eastern Conference First Round series during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 23, 2017. Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images

You have to hand it to the Leafs, they were a blast to watch this past season. And even with the opposing Washington Capitals being the favorite to win the first round matchup, the young guns pushed the series to six games with a whopping five of them going into over time.

Where it went wrong: In the end, unfortunately, the pendulum didn't swing in their favor. What that really boiled down to was the youth of the Leafs versus the veteran Capitals. In so many games that were decided by just one goal, the Caps were the ones to cash in on those opportunities.

What comes next: It is almost hard to fathom that the Auston Matthews-led arsenal won't be rookies anymore. But that doesn't mean they won't still be a fun young team to watch. As TSN reporter Kristen Shilton points out, Toronto showed in their postseason performance that they have the makeup to be even more competitive next season.

Boston Bruins


Defenseman Charlie McAvoy during the second period of Game 4 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series in Boston, Wednesday, April 19, 2017 AP Photo/Charles Krupa

Despite being the favorite, the deck was stacked against the B's headed into Round 1, given that they hasn't faired well against the Ottawa Senators in the regular season. In Boston's first playoff appearance since 2014, all six games were determined by one goal. The Bruins ended up on the wrong end of four of them, including the Game 6 overtime marker.

Where it went wrong: The problems started with mounting injuries and a new crop of players taking the ice for Boston once the playoffs started. (As FOX writer Pete Blackburn points out, 11 players made their playoff debut in the series.) And the players out on the ice that did have experience didn't play as disciplined as Erik Karlsson and the Senators, racking up more minor penalties than any other team in Round 1.

What comes next: Despite the inexperience on the ice in the series, contributors like Charlie McAvoy and Sean Kuraly showed that the Bruins got a good look at the bright young core that they have to work with in the future.

Columbus Blue Jackets


Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky hd a .882 save percentage against the Pittsburgh Penguins.  Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

It was expected to be something of a challenge for the young Columbus team in Round 1, with them going against the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins. Nonetheless there were some that gave the Blue Jackets a chance, given the wild success they had in the regular season.

Where it went wrong: This team that caught fire in the regular season couldn't catch that same spark in April, which is when they needed to "turn it on." Perhaps the toughest blow was that Sergei Bobrovsky had such a poor series, registering a dismal .882 save percentage.

What comes next: For starters, Zach Werenski needs to be able to see out of his right eye again so he can lead the Blue Jackets properly. The rest of the summer, as Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch explains, will be about the expansion draft and a few key free agent moves. But, unlike some long off-season's past, CBJ isn't in too terrible of shape.

Calgary Flames


Calgary Flames goalie Brian Elliott (1) was replaced by Chad Johnson (31) during the first period against the Anaheim Ducks in game four of the first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 19, 2017. Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

Of all of the matchups in Round 1, the Flames series against the Anaheim Ducks seemed like the biggest toss up. Nobody expected the Ducks to completely sweep the Flames, making them the first team to exit the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Where it went wrong: While Calgary's special teams showed up for the postseason, they had trouble scoring many even-strength goals against an Anaheim team that managed to carry a hot streak from the end of the regular season. The goaltending wasn't much better, with Brian Elliott not able to hold down the fort and the Flames' offense not able to counter the attack.

What comes next: Goaltending was going to be a huge topic of discussion in the off-season whether Elliott had been given the early hook in Game 4 or not. Per Kristen Odland of the Calgary Herald, and back-up Chad Johnson have expressed that they would like to stay with the Flames next season. But with so much happening this summer between the expansion draft and free agency, there's little way of knowing what the Flames' netminding arsenal will look like next year.

Minnesota Wild


Minnesota Wild head coach Bruce Boudreau argues a call against the St. Louis Blues in Game Five of the Western Conference First Round during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Xcel Energy Center on April 22, 2017 in St. Paul, Minnesota.  Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images

Even with a lackluster playoff history, the Wild were expected to make it past the first round. Not just because they had been so dominant for the majority of the regular season. But because their Round 1 opponent, the St. Louis Blues, entered with struggling special teams and on the heels of a rough 2016-17 season. Apparently, the Blues didn’t get the memo, and the Wild ended up only winning one game.

Where it went wrong: Minnesota couldn't solve Jake Allen, it's really that simple. Plenty of people are pointing to the fact that Bruce Boudreau was out-coached, especially after his quotable soundbite: "They weren't the better team, but they won four games." But what it really came down to was that, yes, the Wild's offense created the most chances and was the better-looking product on the ice. But Blues' goalie Jake Allen was better, and he turned Minnesota's many shots-on-goal into a stat that meant nothing at the end of 60 minutes.

What comes next: The Wild have some decisions to make with signing some key players to keep as part of their core. Nino Niederrerter and Mikael Granlund, both great in the regular season but nonexistent in the playoffs, could be in line for long-term deals. Adding them to an established arsenal that has no-move clauses in their contracts, it will be interesting to see who Minnesota chooses to expose in the expansion draft.

Chicago Blackhawks


Chicago Blackhawks right winger Patrick Kane reacts after a goal by Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi during the second period in game four of the first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 20, 2017. Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

In all honesty, I wasn’t all that sold on the Blackhawks making a deep playoff run. Even when their Vegas odds were high at the midseason point, I wasn’t buying it. Yet, when the rest of the Western Conference went into a tailspin in the month of March, Chicago looked like they just might have it in them for another run at Lord Stanley’s Mug. Very few expected the Blackhawks to lose the series to the inconsistent Nashville Predators. And pretty much no one was prepared for them to get swept in four tilts.

Where it went wrong: Honestly, where didn’t it go wrong? The Chicago Tribune aptly identified what the Blackhawks' problem was as "a little bit of everything." The veterans looked tired, the young'uns looked in over their heads, and nobody seemed to know how to stop the Predators' surging o-line of Viktor Arvidsson, Ryan Johansen and Filip Forsberg. Anyone looking for a recipe to not win in the playoffs should give the current Chicago squad a call.

What comes next: Admitting that the “dynasty” is ending is probably a good start. Then it is a matter of seeing what changes general manager Stan Bowman makes in the offseason. Chicago isn't far enough under the salary cap to make any huge moves this summer, but the team is in need of a makeover. Being swept out of the playoffs was surely a wakeup call that having a successful regular season doesn't mean much if the team can't make a decent run at the Stanley Cup.

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